Exploring Relationship Between Academic Anxiety and Depression Among Undergraduate College Students Original Research
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Keywords
Academic Anxiety
Abstract
Introduction: Academic anxiety and depression are prevalent mental health challenges among college students, often impacting both personal well-being and academic performance. This study explored the relationship between academic anxiety and depression among undergraduate students enrolled in a health course at a university in Southeastern United States.
Methods: A total of students participated, completing the Academic Anxiety Scale (AAS) and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), at both the beginning and end of the semester. Intervention components consisted of activities, discussions and assessments (quizzes) on goal setting, stress coping mechanisms, time management skills, sleep score, resiliency and psychological wellness. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were conducted using IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29.0.1.0 (171) to examine correlations between academic anxiety, depressive symptoms, and academic performance pre- and post-intervention. We hypothesized that higher levels of academic anxiety at the beginning of the semester would correlate with increased depressive symptoms by semester’s end.
Results: Study results showed strong statistical evidence that the course positively impacted the number of depressed students. Pre-semester moderate/high anxiety significantly decreased the odds of being not depressed, Wald χ²(1) = 4.27, p = .039, odds ratio (OR) = 0.12. Post-semester moderate/high anxiety showed a marginal effect, Wald χ²(1) = 3.66, p = .056, OR = 0.10.
Conclusions: These results emphasize the need for addressing academic anxiety, as it can contribute to depressive symptoms. The results underscore the importance of enhancing mental health resources and interventions, to better support students in managing anxiety and depression within academic settings. Further research with a larger sample size and more variables is recommended to confirm these results.
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